Dras, a town of the Kargil district in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir is often called the 'Gateway to Ladakh'. It is located at the height of 3230m and lies on National Highway 1D leading to Srinagar. The stunning Dras is the coldest place in India and second coldest place (the first being Siberia) inhabited in the world, with temperatures dropping to as low as -45 degree celsius.
BY AIR: The nearest airport to Dras is Srinagar airport, which lies 103 km away from Dras. It is well-connected with all the major airports of the country. From the airport, you are required to hire a cab to Dras.
BY ROAD: Dras is well-connected with the major cities of Jammu and Kashmir, from few cities of Himachal Pradesh. Direct buses are available from Delhi to Srinagar, from where you can hire a cab or self-drive to Dras.
BY RAIL: The nearest railway station to Dras is Jammu railway station, which is situated 442 km away from Dras. You can catch a bus from Jammu to Srinagar or else you can hire a cab directly to Dras.
The best time to visit Dras, the coldest inhabited place in India, is from June to September. During these months, the temperature in Dras remains around 15 degrees Celcius making it perfect for sightseeing. From October to May, Dras remains covered in a thick blanket of snow, with the temperatures falling to as low as -45 degrees Celcius during the winter months. It is best to avoid visiting Dras during this time.
Intensely beautiful and numbingly cold, Dras is blessed with ethereal natural beauty. Snowy, rugged terrain, scenic mountains and calm environment characterize this frosty hamlet. Dras is popular as a trekking base where people stopover during their trek from Minamarg to Amarnath via Zojila Pass. The three famous pinnacles tiger hills, the three pimples and Tololing can be viewed from Dras. The Pakistani troops occupied this paradise during the Kargil war in 1999. The battle continued for about two months during which course several Army men died. But the Indian army recaptured Dras and to commemorate their sacrifice, Dras war memorial was built which is today, the main attraction of this village.